Internal combustion engines typically include a starting/charging system that typically includes a starter motor, a starter solenoid and/or relay, an alternator having a regulator (or other charger), a battery, and associated wiring and connections. It is desirable to perform diagnostic tests on various elements of starting/charging systems to determine whether they are functioning acceptably. It is typical during many such tests, e.g., starter tests, cranking tests, various regulator tests, etc., to adjust the operation of the vehicle while sitting in the driver's seat e.g., starting the engine, turning lights and other loads on and off, revving the engine to a specific number of revolutions per minute, etc. Thus, it is desirable, if not necessary, to have one person sitting in the driver's seat during many starter/charger tests to perform the tests. For other tests, e.g., battery tests, the user need not necessarily be in the driver's seat.
Testers used to test the starting/charging system of an internal combustion engine are known. For example, the KAL EQUIP 2882 Digital Analyzer and KAL EQUIP 2888 Amp Probe could be used together to perform a cranking system test, a charging system test, an alternator condition test, and an alternator output test. The KAL EQUIP 2882 Digital Analyzer is a handheld tester. Other known testers capable of testing a starting/charging system include the BEAR B.E.S.T. tester and the SUN VAT 40 tester, both of which allowed a user to test the starter, alternator, etc. Other testers capable of testing a starting/charging system exist. The aforementioned BEAR B.E.S.T. and the SUN VAT 40 testers are not handheld testers; they are typically stored and used on a cart that can be rolled around by a user.
Additionally, some other handheld testers capable of testing a starting/charging system are known. These devices typically have limited user input capability (e.g., a few buttons) and limited display capability (e.g., a two-line, 16 character display) commensurate with their relatively low cost with respect to larger units. The known handheld starting/charging system testers have several drawbacks. For example, the user interface on such devices is cumbersome. Additionally, some handheld starting/charging system testers have been sold with either a shorter (e.g., three feet) cable or a longer (e.g., fifteen feet) cable. With the shorter cable, two people would typically perform the tests of the starting/charging system, with one person under the hood with the tester and one person sitting in the driver's seat to adjust the operation of the vehicle. The longer cable would permit a single user to sit in the driver's seat to perform the tests and adjust the operation of the vehicle, but the user would need to wind up the fifteen feet of cable for storage. Lugging around the wound coils of the long cable becomes especially inconvenient when the user wants to use the tester for a quick battery check, because the wound coils of cable can be larger than the test unit itself. Additionally, the user interface in such units is typically very cumbersome.
There is a need, therefore, for an improved handheld tester capable of testing a starting/charging system of an internal combustion engine.